New drug could reduce the risk of death from skin cancer

A new drug called Itismeran uses an autogene tailored to the patient’s cancer tumor, and has been shown to reduce the risk of death or recurrence by 42%. During the testing phase, researchers say the autogene reduced the risk of the cancer spreading to other parts of the body by 38%. The drug uses mRNA, the same technology used to develop COVID-19 vaccines. Itismeran is intended for patients with melanoma tumors, a form of skin cancer and one of the deadliest in the U.S. Thus far, there’s no set timeline on how long patients live after taking the treatment, but researchers say this groundbreaking drug could change the way this cancer is treated.